India vs South Africa 3rd ODI : Kagiso Rabada says host are not out of game yet

Virat Kohli ran 100 of his 160 runs in the third ODI, with a strike rotation percentage of 62.5 while the entire South African team could only manage to take 31 runs in ones, twos and threes against Chahal and Kuldeep in 18 overs of spin.

As such, it remains to be seen what sort of wicket is presented to both teams on Wednesday, and whether South Africa will persist with this tactic. He added that rather than trying to come up with new game plans for the spinners, batsmen were focusing on watching the ball out of the hand whilst trying to block out any of the extraneous noise - both external and internal - that has built up around their abilities against the spinners.

Consistency will give them a boost in what is surely a match of historic significance, albeit a small one, as India have never before won three matches in an ODI bilateral series on South African soil. "These are times when you are tested and it is pleasing to go through it and do well", he said. From then on, South Africa only headed downwards, losing their last 5 wickets for 29 runs before being wrapped up for 179 in 40 overs.

India will now aim to clinch the series when they lock horns with South Africa in the fourth ODI on February 10 at the Wanderers Stadium.

Kuldeep and Chahal are asked to go for wickets at all times and Kohli says he isn't anxious about them leaking runs, "The thing is very simple", Kohli said. "We had a chat about it in Cape Town and we've just got to take it on the chin".

In the first ODI in Durban, they took five wickets between them.

Even while they have been trying to get used to playing spin in the nets, the hosts seem to be focussing on the mental aspect. They've always, every over, they've asked two-three questions of the batsmen. "They have done outstandingly well in the last two games picking up a majority of the wickets in both games and being the difference between both sides", said the skipper.

"I think the key is definitely to try and be positive". As we have said earlier, we will rotate the bowlers and keep them nice and fresh. Duminy soon got rid of Rahane and then India's middle order stuttered, with Pandya, Dhoni and Jadhav all falling cheaply. It's simple as that, you are going to play your game because we are on the front foot. So the wrist spinners can create doubts in the batsmen's mind.

Ahead of the game, India opener Shikhar Dhawan explained as to why the hosts' batsmen are unable to counter the spin threat of Chahal and Kuldeep.

With du Plessis still part of the dressing room despite his injury, this was more of a change in keeping with the pitch conditions on Sunday than anything else.

"When you are not picking their wrong 'uns, you are not necessarily comfortable. Find a way to not only score boundaries but find singles square of the wicket, I think that's going to have to be our plan going forward".

India's bowling has gone strength to strength on this tour and there was rarely a sight even in the Test series which India lost 2-1 that the Indian bowlers were not on par with the South Africans.

Left-arm wrist-spinner Yadav started spinning the web with just his second ball on a warm evening in Cape Town when he left stand-in captain Aiden Markram stranded with a terrific delivery that went away from the right-hander.

"These two bowlers showed a lot of promise and we said in overseas conditions a wrist spinner would do lot more than finger spinner".